


Torchwood P.I.

by Call_Me_Tears



Series: Torchwood P.I. [1]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Private Investigators, Eventual Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Gen, No Aliens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28657338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Call_Me_Tears/pseuds/Call_Me_Tears
Summary: Ianto Jones, an out of work writer hears one of his neighbors having what sounds like a domestic late at night while he's trying to learn how to cook when something goes wrong.
Series: Torchwood P.I. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100213
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. Prologue: Domestic

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! New series! I have the entire first part? book? completed, so every day you'll get a new chapter. I'm thinking of making these kind of like, every part? book? episode? is a new series kind of? I don't know how to explain it. Also, [Mystic Writes](https://mystic-writes.tumblr.com/) on tumblr edited this for me! They have a couple of things up on their tumblr that you can read! It doesn't have to do with Torchwood or Doctor Who but it would be awesome if you could go support them!

" _ No, no no, You can't do this to me _ !" Ianto hears his neighbor Jodie screaming through the walls. He rolls his eyes. That's the third time this week they'd gotten into a row. Well, she had. He didn't know who she was yelling at. He only ever saw her cats as he headed off to work every morning. They always stared at him through the ground floor window as he walked by. Well, when he had a job. 

" _ I'm serious, I can't do this anymore! You barge in here like you own the place and expect me to comply!"  _ She screams. Ianto winces at that, turning back to his chicken parmesan that he is finally trying to learn how to make. " _ I just can't, Davy! _ " 

Ianto perks up at this. He's never heard that before. And he knows none of her cats even have a name  _ close  _ to Davy. Ianto moves away from his chicken and towards their shared wall. He knew the layout of the flats were all the same, just mirrored, so she must either be in the kitchen or the study. Well, sitting room but Ianto had converted his into a study since he didn't have many guests over in the first place. 

" _ Will you be quiet?"  _ Someone says on the other side of the wall. It's definitely not Jodie. The voice is lower, quieter. Probably a man. " _ You're gonna wake up half the bloody block!" _

Ianto steps back from the wall he's up against as something crashes into it, creating a shattering sound. He put his ear back up against the wall as Jodie said, " _ Let them! Then maybe you'll finally be out of my life for good!" _

Ianto flinched as something else shattered against the wall, but he didn't move away. He almost wished he did. 

He jumps away from the wall as he hears one. Two. Three gunshots. He can hear ringing in his ears as he falls to the floor. Pain shoots up his tailbone and he cries out. 

He barely registers it, but he knows he hears something scraping, the high pitched whine of the old windows of the building being opened. His back is now against the island as he stares at his shared wall. 

He doesn't know how much time has passed, but he finally stops staring at his wall when he hears scratching at his window. Looking over, Ianto sees four cats all scratching at his window. 

"Oh, good."


	2. Chapter 1: The Not Police

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally forgot to post yesterday, so you'll be getting two uploads today. Again, this is edited by the lovely, amazing, spectacular [mystic-writes](https://mystic-writes.tumblr.com/) on tumblr, so please go and check out her stuff and give her my love!

" _ Alright, we don't have much time. Finley says we only have a couple of minutes before she takes over again," _ Ianto hears someone say on the other side of his wall. An American by the sounds of it. Odd. It has only been a couple of hours since Jodie… well… and they didn't sound like police. 

" _ Oh, come on. I bet you could convince her to give us a few more minutes! It's gonna take at least ten to figure out what happened here," _ a woman says. Not from Wales by the sound of it. Probably grew up in London. 

Ianto put his ear back against the wall to listen to what the not-police had to say about all of it. 

" _ You know he could. Did you see that blush? She was fawning all over you. You could ask her to strip naked and she would," _ another man said. Also not from Wales. Definitely Northern. 

" _ Don't tempt me," _ the American replied and Ianto knew he smirked. He knew that type. Suave, charming, will do anything for a shag. Will probably do anyone as well. One of the cats, Hannah, as her name tag said, brushes up against his leg. 

He didn't know what to do with the cats. They obviously were domesticated, couldn't take care of themselves. He didn't know anyone around and he couldn't just let them starve. He had to do something. 

Too bad he's allergic to cats. 

Ianto lets out a loud sneeze and Hannah darts away, obviously scared by the loud noise. 

" _ What was that?" _ The woman asks. 

"Shit," Ianto mutters to himself, scrambling away from the wall. 

" _ Finley said no one else has lived here for a while. It's been empty for years. No one on the lease," _ Ianto barely heard the American say. He stood up and brushed off the cat hair that seemed to cling to his clothes. He pushed his long hair back and scratched at the semi-beard he'd started accidentally growing. Ianto needed a haircut. 

He tiptoed into his kitchen as quickly as he could, just to make it seem like he wasn't sitting by his wall like a weirdo. 

There was a knock on his door and he shouted, quickly, "One moment!" 

Ianto didn't want to say he scampered to his front door, but to anyone looking, they would say that's the right descriptor. He opened his front door, nervously stamping down his emotions as he said, calmly, "Hello what can I help you with?" 

The man in front of him smiles politely, his blue eyes glancing up and down Ianto's body, and Ianto swears the room got a little warmer from the cats, and it had nothing to do with him. 

Though Ianto would admit the man was incredibly attractive. 

"Hi, I was just wondering if you knew anything about the murder of Jodie Garvey," he says. The American. The one who would probably shag anything that smiled at him. Ianto kind of wanted to shag him. 

"Uh, I didn't know Jodie that well. We barely talked to each other," Ianto says. And it's true. He barely talked to the woman. She was the only one in the complex that he'd even said hello to. 

"Well, if it's all the same, I would like to ask you a few questions," the man says, and Ianto nods. 

"Uh, would you like to come in…" 

"Jack. Harkness," the American says, putting his hand out. Ianto takes it, and feels his face turn red as Jack, Mr. Harkness, squeezes it slightly. 

"Uh, Jones. Ianto Jones. Would you like to come in?" Ianto takes a step back, opening the door wider so Mr. Harkness can come into his flat. 

The man smiles again, this time showing his perfect, white teeth, and Ianto almost fainted. Almost. 

"Yeah, actually. That would be lovely," Jack says, stepping past Ianto. "Thank you."

Ianto nods and closes the door behind him, before following the man. He says something into his earpiece, before sitting down in the study at Ianto's incredibly messy desk. "Do you want anything? A cuppa tea? Coffee?" Ianto asks, already turning into the kitchen. 

"Uh, yeah. Coffee would be great," Mr. Harkness says. Ianto begins making a cup of coffee for the american. "So, how long have you been living here?" Mr. Harkness calls from the study. 

"Uh, a couple of years now. My sister owns a few of the flats here. She's been letting me stay," Ianto said. It wasn't a complete lie. In fact, it had nothing but the truth. But he wasn't telling the whole truth. 

"Are you an artist?" Ianto winces at that, but clears his throat to clear his mind. 

He pours the cup of coffee and says, "I don't understand why this is so important." He brings out the cup and places it in front of the American, who takes a sip. He moans as the coffee hits his tongue, and Ianto crosses his legs, looking away from the lewd display. 

"This is amazing. Where did you learn to make coffee like this?" Jack asks and Ianto sits down in one of the dining room chairs. 

He shrugs as he leans sideways on the chair before deciding it didn't look casual enough and pivoting his body a couple inches. "I worked as a temp for a few years- Mr. Harkness-" 

"Please," the American says, putting down the cup and holding up a hand. "Call me Jack." 

"Mr. Harkness," Ianto continues, "I don't understand what you want from me." 

"I want to know if you heard anything. Saw anything." Jack leans forwards on his knees, and Ianto silently notes how attractive he is when he's serious. 

Pip, another of Jodie's cats, jumps up on the dining room table, before walking over and rubbing herself against Ianto's arm. He looks over, before feeling his eyes well up, and he sneezes a very, very loud sneeze. 

Jack's eyebrow raises as Ianto sniffles. "Allergic?" 

"Jodie's," Ianto says, in lieu of an answer. "The window must have gotten open somehow. They were scratching on my window at around two in the morning." 

Jack leans back in the office chair, and says, "And you didn't notice anything else? Didn't hear gunshots?" 

Ianto shakes his head. This man isn't with the police. He doesn't know if he's trying to cover up the murder. If Ianto tells him what he wants to know, maybe he'll just kill him and leave Ianto's body where no one will find it. 

"No. I didn't hear anything. The cats woke me up around two, and then I went back to sleep," Ianto couldn't tell him that he was trying to cook at two in the morning. He didn't want to sound like a mess. Though the look of his study sort of gave that away. 

Jack nods and stands up, taking one last sip of coffee, before grinning at Ianto. "Well, thank you for your time and the fantastic coffee. I should be getting back to my team now." Mr. Harkness takes out a small notebook and scribbles something down, before tearing out the page and handing it to Ianto. "Here. My number. In case you remember anything. Or want to get a drink." 

And with a wink and smile, Jack leaves. 

Ianto notes that he's going to have to take a cold shower. 


	3. Chapter 2: Drug Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised. Second chapter for today! Working on the next book/part/thing as well, so that should be out soon after I finish uploading this. Again, it'll be short, but there will be some actual Janto in it. As always, this is edited by [mystic-writes](https://mystic-writes.tumblr.com/) on tumblr, so go show her some love!

Ianto spends the rest of the day drinking cups upon cups of coffee to stay awake as he searches for everything he can find about Jodie, and whoever Davy is. He first starts at the most public knowledge, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram. Her full name was Jodie Harriet Garvey, aged 27, single, no kids, not divorced, hasn't publicly dated anyone for years. Ianto suspects that she's just a very private person, but she posts more about her cats than anything else, even showing them in her new flat, showing it off. 

She had money, coming from somewhere. Her LinkedIn only shows a couple of jobs. Working at a movie theatre, at a restaurant, and at a nightclub as a bartender. 

Ianto didn't know how much money could be made from bartending, but he knew how much his sister charged for places, even small flats like the one Ianto lives in. So she must be getting her money from somewhere… 

That leads Ianto to using her pictures on Facebook of herself to go even further. He finds her on all different kinds of websites. But the one thing he didn't think he'd see is one, small little comment on a pretty innocuous website that Ianto's never heard of before. It was a simple comment, but it made his eyes widen. 

' _Davy Sent Me'_

Ianto looked at the replies. A couple of people agreed, but one person responded with what looked like an address. He clicked on the name, and a list of their replies came up. Their most recent was from only a few minutes ago. 

' _926 Cranbrook St.'_

Ianto grabbed his hoodie, wallet, keys, and phone, before sprinting out of his flat. 

* * *

Ianto stands in front of the building. It looks plain, empty. It couldn't possibly be the place. But as Ianto checks his phone, this is it. He walks around the side of the building, not seeing an entrance on the street. He notices a small line of people outside a door, and a large man standing with his arms crossed, talking to a pair of women in small black dresses and high heels. 

Ianto looks down at his own clothes, and curses underneath his breath. Baggy jeans, the shirt he sleeps in, and an oversized zippy-jumper. He does _not_ fit in. 

So he improvises. 

Ianto walks up to the bouncer and takes out his wallet and his ID, leaning into the very tall man and whispers, "Name's Harry, I just got hired as a bookkeeper." 

The man turns to Ianto and raises an eyebrow, before grinning. "Oh, perfect! Boss said he had someone new coming in today! Head on in, through to the back. There should be someone there ready to help you."

Ianto nods, and the guy steps aside, letting the much shorter man slip inside. That was easier than he expected it to be. Stepping into the club, Ianto could immediately begin to feel his head pounding from the loud music, and he made his way through the crowd into a small corner. He wasn't actually working there, he wouldn't talk to whoever he was supposed to talk to. 

But he would ask around the club. 

He found his way into a little back corner, almost pitch black in the low light, and sat down in front of a man. He was average height with dark brown hair and pale skin wearing a simple black t-shirt and jeans. 

Ianto looked around and leaned forward, saying quietly, "I was told I could find Davy here?" 

The man nods subtly and looks around as well, before producing a small baggie from the pocket of his jeans. Looking at it, if Ianto didn't know any better, it looked like candy, and the lollipop sticker on the front of the clear bag didn't help. But, Ianto used to go clubbing a lot in college and he knew ecstasy right away. 

Ianto was about to grab it when someone slid into the booth next to Davy, and put his arm around him. 

Ianto's eyes went wide as he saw someone he had hoped to never lay eyes on again. 

"David Shimmerman. Good to see you buddy! We have a few questions for you…" Mr. Harkness said with a large grin. A woman who Ianto hasn't seen before, pale with long brown hair pulled into a ponytail, sits on the other side of Davy. "And you too, Ianto Jones."

Ianto's heart is beating in his chest, and he can't take his eyes off Jack, who's also staring right back into his soul, and he doesn't notice Davy jump up onto the table and leap away from the three people in the corner. 

The woman and Jack try to slide out of their seats, but Ianto's just in a chair. He spins around and sends himself sprinting after Davy, bumping into people and cursing at people to get out of his way. 

He sees Davy making a break for a side door, and bounds after him, slamming into the door just before it closes. He follows the man down the side street, almost catching up to him, when Davy spins around and jabs a knife into Ianto's side. Davy pulls it out and starts running again. 

Ianto pressed his hands to his side, where his blood was ruining his favourite zippy-hoodie, and he staggered after Davy. But he just couldn't keep up, his legs staggering, and Ianto rolled his ankle, landing hard on his side. 

He doesn't scream, he doesn't cry out in pain. Instead he just pushes himself up back onto his feet. He's about to continue walking when he feels hands grab his arms and stop him. Looking up he sees Jack standing there, worry on his face as he turns to his associate. 

"Suzie, he's hurt. We need to get him to a hospital," Jack says, but Suzie doesn't listen, instead running after Davy. "Suzie!" Jack calls out, but she doesn't listen. 

Ianto blinks a couple of times as he regains his balance, and holds onto Jack's shoulder, mumbling, "I'm fin-fine. I'm fine." 

Jack scoffs. "No, you're not. I'm taking you to the hospital. Get that stab wound patched up." 

"Did you get hurt? You're a bit lopsided…" Ianto says, before his eyes close and he's passed out.


	4. Chapter 3: How to get rid of a body

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter! Honestly, I have no idea when the next book part thing will be completed, but I'll have my editor, the amazing [mystic-writes](https://mystic-writes.tumblr.com/), take a look at it so I can have it uploaded as soon as possible. It's gonna be more filler than anything, but it will be more Janto centered.

Ianto doesn't remember how he got into the starched hospital bed. It isn't until he sees the handsome man next to his bedside before he remembers. He was fucking stabbed. In the gut. 

"What are you doing here?" Ianto rasps out, and Jack sits up, notified that Ianto's awake. 

Jack beams and says, "Well for one, if I knew it was this easy to see you in bed…" Ianto rolls his eyes. "But that's neither here nor there. I actually need to talk to you. About Jodie Garvey." 

Ianto pushes himself up slowly so he's eye-level with Jack, but he looks down at his hands, his cheeks turning a lovely shade of red. "I didn't tell you everything." Ianto looks up and Jack has leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, eyebrow raised. "To be fair, you aren't police, and I didn't know what you were doing." This seems to placate Jack slightly, who still doesn't say anything. "I heard voices that night. Jodie arguing with a man. I didn't know who it was, she never had anyone over, but I was up late and she was loud and… well… thin walls." Jack's eyebrows shoot up and he begins to smile and say something but Ianto cuts him off snarkily. "Not like that you nonce. They were arguing. There were gunshots, and the cats were at my window. I called the police anonymously, and waited. Sat near the wall to hear what they were saying."

"And you heard us. My team," Jack says and Ianto nods. 

"Yeah," he says plainly, before turning slightly towards Jack, but that causes him to wince and hold his side. "How did you find Davy anyways?" 

Jack shrugs. "We searched all his old haunts, every place he's been to in the past five years for three nights in a row. Finally got lucky."

Ianto rolls his eyes. "Here. I have a place that will help you." Ianto grabs his phone from the bedside table it was resting on and pulls up the webpage with the forum. 

He thrusts it towards Jack who takes it. "Here. This guy posts about Davy's location every night. He probably won't be going back to any old clubs for a while to make sure you don't show up again." 

Jack looks from the phone to Ianto, before asking, "How do you know all of this?" 

Ianto shrugs. "I know everything."

Jack grins that brilliant grin and Ianto's heart drops into his stomach. Fuck. He has a crush. 

* * *

Three days later, Ianto is released from the Hospital. Jack left a couple of minutes after Ianto had woken up, talking about making a phone call, and he never returned. Ianto didn't hold it against the man. He seemed quite busy, and watching him walk out, even if his arse was covered by his coat, was worth it. 

Ianto called a cab and went home straight away, feeling the tiredness seep into his bones, his body becoming heavy. He has to drag himself through his front door, and he almost turns back around as he sees something. 

A gun. In his face. And Davy sneering behind it. 

"Seriously?" Ianto whispers to himself, and Davy pushes the gun further into Ianto's face. 

"Just- just don't move!" Davy yells, foregoing any sort of pretense or courtesy he may have once had with Jodie. Ianto puts his hands up. 

"Come on, mate. Can't we do that after I've had a kip?" Ianto asks, bored and tired and just wanting to sleep. If Ianto was actually awake and not in pain, he may have actually been scared. 

Davy's grip on the gun tightens, causing it to shake, and Ianto's hands shoot up again. "You almost ruined _everything_!"

Ianto looks confused. "Me? What the hell did I do?" 

"Those people! The American and the woman, you brought them to me!" Davy shouts, tears starting to slip down his face. 

"Mate," Ianto says, taking a step forward. The gun moves from his chest to his head. "I don't even know who those people are!" 

Davy shakes his head and looks over Ianto's shoulder. "You liar! You-" 

He's cut off by the sound of a gunshot, and Davy's body falls to the floor, a single bullet in his brain. 

Ianto turns around, dropping his arms, and standing behind him is Jack, holding his own, smoking gun. 

"Huh. Thanks," Ianto says. 

Jack smiles and puts his gun in its holster. "No problem, Tiger." 

Ianto rolls his eyes, before squinting them. "How'd you know I was in trouble?" 

Jack shrugs. "I watched your place for a couple of days. When I noticed David scramble inside, I waited until you were there. You know. For dramatic effect."

Ianto rolls his eyes again. "Very dramatic."

Jack bows deeply, sarcastically, and says, "You're welcome, by the way." 

"What, for following me? Or stalking my house?" Ianto says and Jack frowns. 

"For saving your life," he says and Ianto points to the dead man getting blood on his carpet. 

"And what am I supposed to do with that, hm? I only know how to _theoretically_ dispose of a body. I've never actually done it," Ianto says. 

Jack looks down at the body, then back up to Ianto and asks plainly, "How would you do it?" 

"I guess I'd chop it up and get some sulfuric acid, boil it down so there's nothing left for the police to find, and you got some bones you can sell online." 

Jack's eyebrows raise and Ianto looks over to his messy desk. "Right. Writer," Jack says and Ianto nods. "You seem to know a lot."

"I know everything," Ianto says and Jack actually laughs at that. 

Jack grins and looks over to Ianto, saying, "Cheeky, aren't you?" Ianto shrugs. "You get some sleep. I'll deal with the body." Ianto goes to protest, but Jack cuts him off. "It's my job."

Ianto raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything. He goes to leave towards his bedroom, but Jack calls out, "You don't have a job, right?" 

Ianto pauses and looks over at Jack, replying, "No, no job."

Jack just nods and Ianto goes to sleep.


	5. Chapter 4: Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter of the first part/book/whatever! Again, one last thank you to [mystic-writes](https://mystic-writes.tumblr.com/) who will be (hopefully XD) editing the next part as well! Also, sorry it's short, I just didn't think they would fit with the last chapter.

"You're offering me a job?" Ianto asks Jack as the american sits in his study. 

Jack shrugs. "I figured, since you needed one, and we've been needing someone to file paperwork…" Jack leans forward on his knees, his fingers steepled against his lips. "You would be working behind the scenes. Body clean up, paper filing, coffee making, since you make such  _ heavenly _ coffee."

Ianto sits down across from Jack. "So, I won’t get stabbed again?" 

Jack smiles. "You  _ hopefully _ won’t get stabbed again. And, lots of information for whatever book you're writing."

Ianto actually stops to think at this. He just had an idea for a crime novel. A harrowed Private Investigator is swept up in a murder he didn't commit. Ianto had no idea what he was doing. He could make some money and learn a thing or two about the world of P.I.s. 

But it's dangerous. Ianto already got stabbed. He could have died if Jack wasn't there. He probably would have. Ianto Jones was too stubborn for his own good. He would probably still manage to go to the store for milk even without a head. 

But the adventure. Ianto Jones always wanted an adventure.

He remembers when he and Lisa were dating. It was quiet, and he liked it, but he was also young. He didn't want to sit around the flat all day like Lisa did. He wanted to get out and find some danger, live a little, like the characters in his story. She always told him he was daft, to forget about it, to come back and watch Big Brother with her. It was the season finale. 

His would-be publisher on the other hand said his characters lacked authenticity. They said his characters felt more like characters and not real people with lived experiences. That Ianto was writing a life he had no experience in whatsoever. 

Ianto looks over at his desk, at the unfinished manuscript, the loose pages that have no character, no story at all really. Just some ramblings about a life Ianto wants to live. 

There it is. Ianto wants it. More than anything. He's been writing about it since he was young. A life of adventure. Danger. Maybe, perhaps, even romance. Maybe. 

Ianto looks up at Jack, ice blue meeting rolling waves, and Ianto nods. "Alright."

"Alright?" Jack asks, expectant, his smile widening. 

"Alright. I'll join. I'll work for you. I'll work for Torchwood P.I."


End file.
